Li Lian-Ju, Leng Rui-Xue, Fan Yin-Guang, Pan Hai-Feng, Ye Dong-Qing
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
Exp Cell Res. 2017 Dec 1;361(1):1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2017.10.010. Epub 2017 Oct 12.
Mammalian genome is pervasively transcribed, producing large number of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), primary miRNAs (pri-miRNA), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). The translation of these ncRNAs has long been overlooked. Increasing studies, however, based on ribosome profiling in various organisms provide important clues to unanticipated translation potential of lncRNAs. Moreover, a few functional peptides encoded by lncRNAs and pri-miRNAs underline the significance of their translation. Recently, several novel researches also evidence the translation of endogenous circRNAs. Given the functional significance exemplified by peptides translated by some ncRNAs and their pervasive translation, it is not too far-fetched to image that abnormal translation of ncRNAs may contribute to human diseases. Through challenging, deciphering ncRNA translation is required for comprehensive understanding of biology and medicine. In this review, we firstly present evidence concerning translation potential of lncRNAs and go on to introduce a few functional short peptides encoded by lncRNAs. Then, salient observations showing translation of pri-miRNAs and circRNAs are described in detail. We end by discussing the impact of ncRNA translation beyond producing peptides and referring briefly to the potential role of abnormal ncRNA translation in human diseases.
哺乳动物基因组被广泛转录，产生大量非编码RNA（ncRNA），包括长链非编码RNA（lncRNA）、初级微小RNA（pri-miRNA）和环状RNA（circRNA）。这些ncRNA的翻译长期以来一直被忽视。然而，越来越多基于各种生物体核糖体图谱分析的研究为lncRNA意想不到的翻译潜力提供了重要线索。此外，一些由lncRNA和pri-miRNA编码的功能性肽突出了它们翻译的重要性。最近，一些新的研究也证明了内源性circRNA的翻译。鉴于一些ncRNA翻译的肽所体现的功能重要性及其广泛的翻译现象，不难想象ncRNA的异常翻译可能导致人类疾病。尽管具有挑战性，但为了全面理解生物学和医学，解读ncRNA翻译是必要的。在这篇综述中，我们首先展示有关lncRNA翻译潜力的证据，接着介绍一些由lncRNA编码的功能性短肽。然后，详细描述显示pri-miRNA和circRNA翻译的显著观察结果。最后，我们讨论了ncRNA翻译在产生肽之外的影响，并简要提及异常ncRNA翻译在人类疾病中的潜在作用。
